Seam



F. H. McCOY.

SEAM.

APPLICATION tLED AUG 30. 1920.

1 ,426,89 Patentd Aug. 22, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I. 1.

F. H. MCCOY.

SEAM.

APPI'CAT'ON mm we. 30. 1920.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

O C 6 M H D n P PATENT OFFICE.

FIRED H. MCCOY, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

BEAM.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

Application filed August 30, 1920. Serial No. 406,743.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Faun ll. MoCoY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of (lliittenden and State of'Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seams, of which the following is a spwilication.

My invention is an improvement in seams, and pertains particularly to artificial lap seams, and is a continuation in part of my application on combined folder for sewing machines, Serial #156,188, filed March 20, 1917, which has matured into Patent #l,357,105.

In the manufacture of garments it has been found that in order to provide sha e and proper hang, it is necessary to cut tiic fabric or material into a certain number of pieces and to join the several pieces by seams, of which there are as few as possible in order to preserve the appearance of the garments and to save material, and yet secure the reinforcement and stability which seams afford.

In the manufacture of the so-called two seam overall, it has been customary to out two pieces, a front and a back, for each leg. After cutting, the pieces are given to one operator, who fells the two pieces on a flatbed nuu'hiue, and they are then transferrcd to a second operator who 'fells the two remaining edges on a cylinder bed machine.

As is well known, there is a loss of material every time it is cut, and in the illustration given, besides the loss occasioned by the cutting, there is the extra loss caused by the use of the extra operative and extra machine.

Bearing in mind the desirability of fewer cuts in fabric, and the necessity for strength and shape of the garments, as well as the advantages of reducing labor costs as far as possible, the main objects of my invention are; to cut the cost of manufacture by saving material, without affecting the quality of the garments, either as to shape, strength, or wearing qualities, and, to reduce the overhead in factories by eliminating excess labor and machine costs.

In carrying out my invention, which may he applied to any garments or fabric although primarily adapted to the manufacture of overalls, I utilize an artificial lap seam, formed by folding material along desired lines, and'then stitch the free edges or loops of the fold to the material be a plurality of rows of stitches, so that the appearance of a real lap seam is simulated, and the cutting of material to form a real seam at the desired place is eliminated.

In the manufacture of certain articles, such as shirt waists, it is neeessary to slit the material part way, or to cut out a portion so that a bifurcation results. It has been customary to fell. the two edges so that a seam is formed, running only to the end of the bifurcation, and presenting a very unsigIhtly appearance.

have found that the appearance of the article is enhanced, and the article is strengthened, if the seam is continued through the body of the article, instead of stopping at the bifurcation end. This is done by prolonging the real seam into an artificial seam, with the same rows of stitching on both the real and the artificial seam, giving the appearance of a real continuous seam which is partly real and partly artificial.

The range of applications of my invention are illimitable, although I have found the greatest utility in the manufacture of overalls, where I have effected great savin s.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of my application:

Fig. 1, is an elevation of a coat constructed in accordance with my invention, the coat having cuffs on the sleeve;

Fig. 2, is a section through the cuff, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing the construction thereof;

Fig. 3, is an elevation of a ortion of a sleeve and a cuff thereon, as mar e before my invention;

Fig. 4, is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3 showing the construction of the cull Fig. 5, is a detached perspective view of a ortion of the back of the coat shown in ig. 1, and taken on the line 5-5 thereof;

Fig. 6, is an elevation, partly in section of the combined feller and feller member used in reducing the artificial lap seam;

ig. 7, is a plan view of the two pieces of material, partially broken away, used in producing a 1e and peg top effect in accordance with t e present practice in manufactoring Fig. 8, is a plan view partially broken away of the one piece of material used in making a, leg of a garment according to my invention, with a slit in the material for forming the peg top effect;

Fig. 9, is an elevation of the upper part of a pair of trousers made from one piece of material for each leg as shown in Fig. 8, and disclosing an apparel'itly real lap seam extending from the waist down the side of the leg,-

Fig. 10, is a section on line 10-40, of Fig. 9, disclosing the artificial lap seam on the side of the leg, and

Fig. 11, is a perspective view of a por tion of the piece of material shown in Fig. 8, looking from the bifurcated end and showing how the peg top effect is attained by the real lap seam at the top of the trousers, merging into the artificial lap seam extending down the leg, or the artificial seam ,merging into the real seani.

As illustrated by Fig. 1, the back of the coat made in accordance with my invention has a. back formed of one piece of material 13, having a vertically extending artificial lap seam 14 formed in the middle thereof, in lieu of the customary two pieces joined by a real lap seam. V

This artificial lap seam is formed preferably on some such device as illustrated in Fig. 6, which is described and claimed in my aforementioned application #156,188, and which consists essentially of a feller 15, of usual construction upon which real lap seams are felled, and a feller member 16, with cooperating creaser arm 17, to fold the material, and a stitching unit 18 arranged in the paths of delivery of both the teller and feller member so that a plurality of rows of stitches are put in the fold of the material to fasten it down. It is to be noted that the stitching unit sews goods delivered from either the feller or feller member. This enables me to sew two raw edges together on the feller, to form the well known interlocked seam shown for instance in patent to Beals, #614,824, and then to continue the seam into an artificial lapseam where there are no edges but an unbroken expanse of material, such for instance as when working on the material shown in Fig. 8.

The coat has a front piece 19, on both sides, which pieces are joined to the back, effected by the change in construction permitting a real lap seam 20. Obviously there is a saving of material at the elimination of a two piece back.

The sleeve 21 is formed from two pieces of material joined at their raw edges b seams 22, as is customary, and having a on 23, formed at the lower end. By my inven tion this cufi' is made by. running the sleeve through the teller member and making an artificial la seam extend transversely of the sleeve, as s own by 24.

i The old method of making a cuff is illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, in which the sleeve 21, has a cufi' 23' stitched to it. Here again 1 effect a saving by the elimination of the extra piece of material necessary to form the attached cuff.

The old method of making trousers by forming each leg of two parts 25, besides necessitating an extra cutting of material, also required extra machines and operatives. I form each leg of a single piece 26, of material, having a slit 27 formed or cut in it,

and sew the raw edges of the slit on the fel.

ler 15, forming a real lap seam. thereof, and then slide the material up into the felling member and continue the seam to the end of the leg. It is to be noted that this scam 29 is apparently a real continuous lap seam, but is in reality partly real and partly artificial. By cuttin the slit 2? with curved edges 28, a rounde effect is produced for giving a peg top to the trousers. It will be apparent that I may sew two raw edges of any piece of material, and then continue the seam into an artificial seam, such as putting darts in shirtwaists, in which a slit 18 made to extend but a short distance into the material in order to give a gathered effect, this may be made much more siglitly by continuing the seam into an artificial seam, as it gives a finish unobta-inabl by a seam running but part way into a garment and then stopping.

It is immaterial whether the two edges of the bifurcation be joined b a seam first, and then the unslit portion be olded, as obviously the folding of the unslit portion might be accomplished first, and then the edges of the bifurcation be joined, and I therefore do not wish to be considered as limited to the particular order of formation of the seams disclosed herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a piece of material having a seam, one part of the seam being formed by the joining together of two edges of the material, and another part of which seam is formed beyond said edges by folding the material.

2. As an article of manufacture, a iece of material having a seam, one part 0 the seam. being formed by the joining together of two edges of the material with a folded and interlocked seam, and another art of which is formed beyond the two e ges by folding the material.

3. A method of seaming a. piece of fabric that has a slit cut in it which consists in joining the two edges of the slit by a. real. lap seam, and continuing the seam mto the body of the uncut fabric by folding the fabric and stitchin the free edges of the fold to the body 0 the fabric to form an of manufacture a piece of seam one part of the seam being formed by the joining together of two edges of the material, and another part of the seam being formed beyond the edges by folding the material, and a continuous series of stitches extending along the seam.

5. A method of seaming material in which there is a slit, which consists in joining the edges of the slit and folding the unslit portion of the material in substantial alignment with the slit to form a continuous searm 6. A method of seaming material in which 4. As an article material having a there is a, slit which consists in folding, interlocking and joining the edges of the slit and folding the unslit portion in substantial alignment with the slit to form a continuous seam.

7. A method of seaming material in which there is a slit which consists in joining the edges of the slit and folding the unslit portion in substantial alignment with the slit, securin the joint and fold by a continuous series 0 stitches to form a continuous seam.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRED H. McCOY.

Certificate of Cori-ection.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,426,892, granted August 22. 1922, upon the application of Fred H. McCoy, of Burlington, Vermont, for en improvement in Seams, were erroneously issued to the inventor, said McCoy, whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to Head Manufaamfing Company, of Burlington, Vermont; a Gomomtinn of Vermont, said cdrporetion being assignee of the entire interest in said invention, as shown by the records of assignments in this o flice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of September, A. D., 1922.

[sun] WM. A. KINNAN,

Acting of Patents. 

